Volkswagen set to finally unveil all-electric Microbus next week

Lovers of the Volkswagen microbus, take note: the iconic car may (finally!) be making an eco-friendly comeback. Rumors are swirling that VW could be working on something seriously awesome – a successor to the much loved Microbus with an exciting twist: an electric powertrain. VW has confirmed plans to unveil a new concept vehicle next week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Even though the automaker is keeping most details about the concept under wraps, VW has hinted in the past that it could be reviving the beloved bus and they recently stated that they will use the show to discuss latest developments in electric mobility as well as next-generation connectivity.

Now that the world knows that VW cheated the system with its diesel models, how could Volkswagen make things right with more environmentally-conscious buyers? While VW has yet to figure out a fix for the millions of diesel cars that it sold with emissions cheating devices, a stronger focus on electric cars could help improve the automaker’s image. We already have the e-Golf electric car, but VW lacks a wider range of ec0-friendly options.

It’s rumored that the Microbus concept will be based on VW’s new MEB platform and thanks to new next-generation flat batteries, the concept could have a driving range around 300 miles. Of course VW also hasn’t revealed any production plans, but it is rumored that it could arrive as early as 2017. VW also says that the Microbus concept may provide a preview of the potential future direction of the automaker.